Question Period Note: Rebuilding Jasper National Park

In July 2024, a third of the town of Jasper was destroyed by wildfire. 820 units of housing were lost to the wildfire and over 600 displaced Jasper households have applied for interim housing assistance. Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper have worked diligently to support residents and local businesses throughout the rebuild process, in securing interim housing solutions for residents and supporting economic and social recovery for the community.

• In the aftermath of the wildfire, Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper have worked together to ensure support to the community and local businesses is timely, relevant and effective at every stage of the recovery process. Parks Canada has been actively contributing to interim housing efforts for Jasper since the wildfire and recognizes its importance to the community’s recovery.
• Parks Canada is facilitating all necessary processes to accelerate the rebuild of Jasper in concrete ways, such as updating land use policies, expediting approvals, facilitating subdivision processes, and simplifying development application processes.
• Recovery is progressing. 95 building permits have been issued since August 2024 which represents 100% of complete applications received. The first occupancy permits for permanent homes have been issued and construction continues throughout the townsite.

• Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper are working towards rebuilding Jasper with a higher density to get more residents back to the community. Parks Canada has been actively supporting interim housing efforts for Jasper since the wildfire and recognizes its importance to the community’s recovery. Since late August, through the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre (JRCC), Parks Canada has collaborated with all levels of government to advance housing plans. Parks Canada has secured over 300 interim housing units, which Jasper residents occupied as of February 2025 and are in the process of procuring an additional 100 units.
• Permits are being processed but not everyone is applying to rebuild. Approximately 60% of residential properties that have received demolition completion certificates have yet to apply for rebuilding permits, indicating that they are actively working through insurance processes and personal financial decisions, prior to moving forward with the rebuild process.
• Recovery progress is shaped by multiple factors: insurance settlement timelines, contamination testing, remediation, availability of contractors, Jasper’s short construction season, its remote location and personal decisions of individuals navigating the complex and difficult process of recovery.
• The federal government has invested over $383 million to date in firefighting, recovery, and rebuilding efforts in Jasper and Jasper National Park. This has included:
o $15.2 million in rent relief for Parks Canada administered rents and licence fees
o $ 3 million from Economic Development Canada in tourism industry recovery
o $ 5.9 million in Prairies Can funding for a business recovery program, establishing a pop-up business village and interim industrial park for equipment storage and construction workspaces and funding to Tourism Jasper for market programming to attract visitors to Jasper
o $250,000 to Tourism Jasper to enhance capacity to deliver travel packages and marketing efforts that encourage travel to and investment in Jasper businesses.
o Up to $45.2 million for incident response
o Up to $80.1 million for re-entry and recovery which includes $30 million for 320 housing units over two years
o $9.4 million through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) housing accelerator fund to the Municipality of Jasper
o $19.6 million reimbursement from Public Safety Canada Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program to Government of Alberta for eligible costs for fighting the Jasper Wildfire.
o $12.6 million in matching funds to the Canadian Red Cross
o $187 million to repair and rebuild critical infrastructure in Jasper National Park. This funding, over 2 years, will support the reconstruction of roads, campgrounds, trails and permanent staff housing and help provide interim housing options for staff and residents during rebuilding.
o Up to $5 million to support residents with uninsured costs related to soil remediation and testing provided through the Canadian Red Cross.
o Parks Canada has also transferred a parcel of land to the Municipality of Jasper for a nominal fee of $1 to develop a 40-unit affordable housing rental complex.
o Furthermore, last Fall, the Federal Government introduced Bill C-76, an Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act, on September 18, 2024. On October 3, 2024, the bill received Royal Assent by the Governor General. The bill enabled Parks Canada to transfer some of the authority for land use planning and development to the Municipality of Jasper.

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